Beyond The Frontline

Fragment Lima

Over the course of a week, production of the bolt-action rifle began in earnest. Colt, eager to speed up the process, temporarily halved ammunition production to free up additional manpower for the firearms project.

The craftsmen focused primarily on carving the wooden stock, shaping the body, and assembling the more intricate components of the firearm. Blacksmiths contributed by forging steel blanks for barrels and casting various metal parts. To meet the demand for manpower, Colt recruited volunteers from both the village and the survivor group, primarily with operating the manually powered lathes.

Speaking of lathes, after the success of the prototype rifle, Colt gave the green light to the craftsmen to assemble as many lathes as resources would allow. These machines, while simple by modern standards, were critical for the most labor-intensive part of the process: turning raw steel blanks into rifled barrels.

Operating the lathes became a shared responsibility among the volunteers. While some could manage extended shifts, others fatigued quickly from the physically demanding task of manually cranking the machines. To say the volunteers got a workout would be an understatement—by the end of each day, their arms were sore and heavy, the strain of turning the lathe etched into their expressions.

More than half the week proved to be the hardest and most grueling part of the operation. Blood, sweat, and tears marked every corner of the workshop as the village poured its collective effort into crafting the parts and components of the bolt-action rifles. However, once the parts were completed, assembly and testing took only a day and a half—tasks that primarily fell under Colt's responsibility.

Confident in the abilities of the craftsmen and blacksmiths to handle the earlier stages of the process, Colt delegated most of the production while focusing on his part of the operation. He didn't tackle the assembly alone, though. Colt selected two of the most skilled craftsmen from the team, walking them through each step of assembling the rifle. He took time to explain, demonstrate, and supervise, ensuring they understood the finer details.

As expected, it took a bit of time for them to adapt to the new process, but their natural aptitude shone through. With Colt's guidance, they were able to assemble the rifles efficiently with minimal mistakes.

Confident in their growing proficiency, Colt transitioned to overseeing quality control. His system was straightforward: identify any issues, explain the mistakes to the craftsmen, correct the errors, and ensure the same problems didn't arise again. This not only improved their skills but also reinforced Colt's trust in their capabilities.

While he could have directly helped with the assembly, Colt intentionally prioritized training the craftsmen. His goal was to foster independence, ensuring that the knowledge and skills for rifle assembly could be passed on. This way, the operation wouldn't grind to a halt in case he was absent.

By the end of the day, using the finished components available, the two craftsmen managed to assemble 10 rifles under Colt's guidance.

The rifles were simple—a straightforward bolt-action design with an estimated 22-inch barrel. Each had a durable wooden stock that ran nearly the full length of its barrel. At a total length of roughly 42 inches, it was compact enough to handle easily yet long enough to maintain accuracy at short, medium and possibly long distances. It featured a basic iron sight, a simple safety mechanism, and a 4+1 internal magazine capacity. They were designed with practicality in mind, favoring ease of use and maintenance over complexity. It wasn't the best nor was it the worst, it just worked.

The half a day following assembly was spent by Colt testing all the finished rifles at the makeshift firing range behind the workshop. He methodically fired several rounds through each one, ensuring their functionality and reliability. If a rifle performed flawlessly, it was deemed ready for use. Thankfully, all 10 rifles passed the tests, marking them as complete and signaling the next phase: training.